New from Naim – Solstice Special Edition turntable

problem is fitting the third foot in the back to sit on a Fraim…

The Fraim was done before the Solstice. This glass shelf is a very poor isolation platform for such a heavy deck, in my opinion.

Problem resolved :laughing:

Yes but the foot you just removed is an integral part of the isolation design…

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Well, I haven’t been so tempted to get another turntable in years. Have always loved the Aro sound. Un/fortunately, I just don’t have any room for LPs……

I use a 3/4” MDF board with three HRS Nimbus pucks on top of a Fraimlite to support my isolation platform and turntable. Works out great for me.
image

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The HRS platforms are good. dCS had them underneath 4 Bartok’s at CanJam sitting on top of generic convention tables. The HRS Nimbus pucks were not good imho. I found Stillpoints - one of the originals in this field - to be significantly better.

I have just finished a lengthy round of testing with my various headphone amplifiers (both tube and solid state) playing with HRS Nimbus, IsoAcoustic Oreas, Stillpoint SS, first generation Quadraspire, and Fraim. My testing was a different application to yours above as each isolation device was placed directly underneath the chassis - as intended by the manufacturer. I am now extremely happy with a Butcher Block Acoustics 1.5" base and 3 Stillpoint SS in a tripod setup. The Butcher Block base is isolated from the underneath with the included freebie blocks - rubber>cork>rubber.
No longer a need for a dedicated rack.

With that said my LP12 was perfectly happy on top of Fraim. It was miserable on top of Quadraspire Perspex, Perspex toilet bowl, and Bamboo. The last few years have been pure Bliss on top of the now (unfortunately) defunct TigerPaw wall shelf. The best solution yet.

Best
Gregg

I only compared the HRS Nimbus pucks to isoAcoustics Orea pucks for my subplatform. The HRS sounded much better, but at somewhat greater cost. I have both a ButcherBlock Acoustics 3” base and the isoAcoustics 3” Delos. The latter was a significant improvement for my setup. As always, one should listen for themself as YMMV.

Maybe I should give the ButcherBlock to my wife for the kitchen now. It’s entirely more trouble than worth to resell. :slight_smile:

That was the beauty of Butcher Block Acoustics - basically free. I just ordered two more.
See my above post again - I did some editing.

My headphone systems are not in my dedicated 2 channel room and are on top of the classic mid century George Nelson bench. I did not want a dedicated stereo rack so I had to experiment.

with Linn KDS/3 source. A few more electrostatic amplifiers will take up residence here as well

Best
Gregg

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PS -sorry for the thread derailment

To link it back to turntables.

I have an HRS record weight but if used it robs some of the life out of the music. It’s also incompatible with an Aro as the headshell hits it at the end of the side.

What a beautiful rig and a beautiful room…

I’m thinking of getting a preloved Linn KDS/3 to go with the Stax system I’m looking at…

The Stax T8000 energiser looks lovely - and picks up good reviews - but what’s this beastie you have here??

(I’m happy for this to be moved to a headphone thread by the way!)

Would still be much better than the glass shelf. But yes, I agree that this platform would not fit well the Fraim.

Once again - sorry for the thread derailment - just replying to some questions

The amplifier in the photo is for dynamic headphones only (not electrostatic) and is a DNA Stratus amplifier made my Donald North in California. Donald builds 2 amps a month and his tube headphone amps are considered end game. I just commissioned his totl Stellaris amplifier - eta June 2022 - however well worth the wait.

As for Stax T8000 as previously mentioned - stay away. Stax amplifier design has been the same for the past 30 years and are not well regarded from a performance or VFM perspective.

If you are interested in TOTL electrostatic amplifiers look to the Mjolnir Carbon (solid state) from Iceland or the HeadAmp Blue Hawaii (tube/ss) from the States. Short of the mythical DIY T2 amplifier which is universally acknowledged to be endgame (my commissioned one should be complete within the next 2 months (6 month wait time) - both the Carbon and Headamp BHSE more or less cost the same as the T8000 while offering SIGNIFICANTLY better performance.

You may want to hold off on your Stax headphone purchase. Stax has posted a teaser (ala Naim) and on Wednesday will be presenting something new.

Now back to the Solstice (and sorry for the sidetrack)

Best
Gregg

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If you are going to derail the thread Gregg then the least that you can do is post a pic of your fab Nait2 to keep the gallery calm… :grinning:

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Let’s try to keep on topic please. By all means please do start a new topic if you wish to discuss other things. Thanks.

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Doing that as we speak!

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Question…will the tonearm be available to buy separately…?

That is the question…

However, right now it is only available as a package.

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Not what was asked but the manufacturer – Clearaudio – do make some wonderful tonearms under their own branding. Not uni-pivot however and not with the ‘dna’ (as a biotech guy I don’t like using this term but I will anyway) of the Aro.

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